Welcome to the online home of Audra Jennings, a book publicist and crafter. Here I share about both. I hope you'll find books you'll want to read and crafts you will want to order. I live a rather boring, single life. At times I would like to think I am humorous. The kids I teach in Bible class tend to think so. I also blog about current seasons of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. I don't know why, I just do.

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Saturday, May 23, 2015

I was up until 3 AM finishing Water from My Heart

Even though I work in the book industry, it is truly sad how little I've been able to sit down and read for pleasure over the past I don't know how many months. I won't even start on how I can't figure out where the past five months have gone. I must be getting old.

I've been wrapped up in crafting or wasting too much time fiddling with my phone while watching TV. It's amazing how much time I blow on my phone (why did I get back into Words with Friends?) or just goofing around on the internet. Like how I've been sitting here with my laptop for probably an hour to type up this review while yawning so hard I have tears streaming down my cheeks as my eyes water from being so tired. That right there is back on point. I was up until 3 AM this morning reading Charles Martin's Water from My Heart (CenterStreet).

Part of the reason why was because I promised a review on the blog tour today, and part of it was I really, really wanted to finish this book.

It's no secret that Charles Martin is one of my favorite authors, so I put aside my paint pens over the past week or so and read. Last night, I polished off the last 150 pages. Let me start with a little a bit about the story.

About the book:
Charlie Finn had to grow up fast, living alone by age sixteen. Highly intelligent, he earned a life-changing scholarship to Harvard, where he learned how to survive and thrive on the outskirts of privileged society. That skill served him well in the cutthroat business world, as it does in more lucrative but dangerous ventures he now operates off the coast of Miami. Charlie tries to separate relationships from work. But when his choices produce devastating consequences, he sets out to right wrongs, traveling to Central America where he will meet those who have paid for his actions, including a woman and her young daughter. Will their fated encounter present Charlie with a way to seek the redemption he thought was impossible--and free his heart to love one woman as he never knew he could?My review:
The book description doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of the story. However, I hate long reviews of a book that rehash everything that happened in the story. To me, a review is telling what you thought of the book, the writing, etc., not a longer summary of the book full of spoilers, so I won't do that. (Pardon my soapbox moment as I get into that discussion regularly).

The author has an amazing talent for bringing the reader into the thought process of the main character. What has happened to him to cause him to approach the way he did? What decisions led him to where he is now? Even when a character has done something you would never approve of, you want to be on his side and root him on. You may not want to like the guy, but you do.

Charlie's story is a journey of learning it's never too late to start over and that the decisions of your past do not have to dictate your future. While on the surface it may seem that you are a bad person, you can still have a kind and giving heart. You can turn your life around and be forgiven. There is always an opportunity for redemption. Since there is, of course, a romance thread, there is also someone out there that can love you.

With impeccable research, the reader feels like they have visited Miami, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Bimini. (I really want to go on vacation now.) Not only that, what could become a messy web of details is perfectly interwoven and connected together. I admire the gift of being able to tell a story and keep all of the details straight.

You really should check this one out!*I received this book from Center Street in exchange for an honest review.About the author:

Charles Martin is a New York Times bestselling author of eleven previous novels. His work is available in 17 languages. He lives in Jacksonville, Florida with his wife and their three sons.Learn more about the author and his books at http://charlesmartinbooks.com/.

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About Me

Audra is a publicist who promotes books and writes about other people for a living. She's also a hermit who spends way too much time within the walls of her home since her office is just upstairs.

When she's not trying to get you to read a variety of books, she's probably watching too much reality TV or annoying her Facebook friends with pictures of crochet and other craft projects.

You can find Audra on her blog, posting rants about something (it's not her neighbors anymore) and other meaningless nonsense (www.audrajennings.com), or on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram where she never fails to make snarky remark.

My ridiculously long FTC disclaimer

In accordance with the FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, please note that I have not received payment for any of the reviews posted on this blog.

I am employed both a freelance publicist and a publicist for a publisher and do post press releases, interviews and blog tours for the books and/or products I represent. However, I post on my blog by choice.

When I do post reviews for books that I have been sent review copies of by publishers, I will note that on posts.

On occasion, I also buy books and read and review them for enjoyment too.